When most people think of the Black Hills, they think of Mount Rushmore, entertaining visitor attractions, incredible natural beauty and a great place to make some unique memories.

And for those very reasons, hundreds of people every year choose the Black Hills as the site for their destination weddings.

I know – I was one of them. My wife and I got married a few years ago on this date, so it got me thinking about our experience – why we chose to get married in the Black Hills – and why so many others do too.

We started planning our own Black Hills wedding long before we had decided to actually move out here – so from that viewpoint, you can consider me an impartial recommendation. We knew that we wanted an outdoor wedding, we wanted someplace that was naturally beautiful and we wanted a location that our guests could plan a real vacation around – with our wedding being only a portion of their experience.

After whittling down a long list of possible locations, we settled on the Black Hills. That was the easy part. Then we had to come up with a list of possible locations for our ceremony and reception within the Black Hills region. And let me tell you – there’s a boatload of fantastic options as far as places to get married out here.

Whether you’re looking for a traditional church atmosphere, a rustic cabin in the woods or Main Street Sturgis ceremony – there really is a venue for all interests.

Anyway, we eventually figured out that a lakefront wedding at Sylvan Lake was the right fit for us. The staff in Custer State Park and at Sylvan Lake Lodge was fantastic. We worked with some top-notch wedding service professionals from around the area – and there are many of them! At the end of the day, the whole thing was a huge success.

Our guests – who literally traveled from all over the country – enjoyed their time and most of them stuck around for several days after the wedding to tour the Black Hills and enjoy some R&R. We were married in a beautiful place, our guests had been entertained and we all made some good memories. Mission accomplished.

Reasons why the Black Hills are perfect for destination weddings:

• Location, location, location
• Natural beauty & countless venues
• Affordable lodging options throughout the hills
• Variety of guest entertainment options for extended vacations
• Qualified wedding service professionals in the region
• Marriage licensing requirements that are easily attainable

Happy planning!